Great Britain

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 31, 2015

Calais, France, is last stop for many migrants fleeing war-torn Africa and Middle East in hopes of reaching Britain; migrants, undeterred by injury or deaths of others, make several daily attempts to forge through the Channel Tunnel to England. MORE

Jul. 31, 2015

British government denies Chinese artist Ai Weiwei standard six-month business visa for neglecting to declare that he had been convicted of a crime; issues Ai an exceptional visa, which allows him to remain in Britain for 20 days. MORE

Jul. 30, 2015

Stream of migrants, fleeing war and poverty created by numerous conflicts in Africa and Middle East, have flooded Europe, with thousands making daily attempts to cross from France to Britain through the Channel Tunnel; European Union members, criticizing each other for their role in crisis, plan emergency talks for more robust remedy. MORE

Jul. 30, 2015

Matthew d'Ancona Op-Ed article describes ascent of veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn in Great Britain's Labour Party, observing that he is close to becoming party's leader and potential prime minister candidate in 2020; argues that while choice of an uncompromising leftist might provide sense of comforting nostalgia for some, it would also consign party to irrelevance in current political climate. MORE

Jul. 29, 2015

French authorities say migrants attempting to board freight trains to Britain made at least 2,100 attempts in less than 24-hour period to enter Eurotunnel compound in Calais, France; local volunteers say there are more than 3,000 migrants in Calais, most from North Africa and Middle East, and number keeps growing. MORE

Jul. 29, 2015

John Sewel resigns his seat in Britain's House of Lords amid drug and prostitute scandal. MORE

Jul. 28, 2015

British House of Lords member John Sewel requests leave of absence while police and Parliament investigate accusations against him involving drug use and prostitutes. MORE

Jul. 27, 2015

Lord John Sewel resigns from several prominent posts in Great Britain's Parliament in midst of allegations that he was caught taking cocaine with two prostitutes in London apartment; incident is latest scandal to rock English politics. MORE

Jul. 26, 2015

Severe restrictions Great Britain has placed on what reporters may reveal about acquittal of terrorism suspect Erol Incedal spotlight nation's growing debate over balance between free speech and national security in era of terrorism; case has prompted accusations that government is avoiding accountability by cloaking its actions in security classifications. MORE

Jul. 26, 2015

Evan Rail travel article describes six-day tasting tour of local brews in Yorkshire, England, region famous for its pub culture. MORE

Jul. 24, 2015

British Labour Party is at odds over who should become its next leader, with some arguing that party should move toward center and others arguing that it should move farther left. MORE

Jul. 24, 2015

Fifteen-year-old British boy pleads guilty to inciting terrorist attack in Australia in 2014; his sentencing is set for Sept 3. MORE

Jul. 22, 2015

British man Junead Ahmed Khan faces terrorism charges in London for allegedly plotting to run over American serviceman and kill him in knife attack. MORE

Jul. 21, 2015

British Prime Min David Cameron calls on Muslim community to help defeat Islamic extremism in country; speaks broadly of five-year counterterrorism strategy that is to be unveiled later in year. MORE

Jul. 20, 2015

British Prime Min David Cameron says in televised remarks he would like Britain to become more involved in fight against Islamic State overseas while at same time addressing threat of home-grown terrorists. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

British Broadcasting Corp, seen as too liberal by Conservatives, faces review of its mission that could leave corporation smaller, less costly and less competitive with British newspapers and private television channels. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Britain’s Liberal Democrats choose Tim Farron as their leader; Farron is member of Parliament who has signaled return to left with plans to focus on human rights, environment and social inequality. MORE

Jul. 14, 2015

Prince William of Britain begins job as air ambulance pilot based at Cambridge Airport; plans to donate his salary to charity. MORE

Jul. 14, 2015

Members of environmental group Plane Stupid, protesting against proposed expansion of London's Heathrow airport, chain themselves together on runway, forcing cancellation of many flights and raising concerns about security at site. MORE

Jul. 13, 2015

British Prime Min David Cameron, days after his government committed to hit NATO spending targets, urges military to spend more on fighting Islamic State. MORE

Jul. 12, 2015

Op-Ed article by British Parliament member Tristram Hunt maintains it would be mistake for Parliament and Queen Elizabeth II to abandon Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace due to their deplorable condition; warns that leaving buildings during their planned renovation could mean that the buildings will merely become tourist attractions. MORE

Jul. 11, 2015

Saturday Profile of poet Simon Armitage, who was elected professor of poetry at Oxford University, second-most-prestigious literary position in Great Britain. MORE

Jul. 10, 2015

Great Britain’s government tells all British travelers to leave Tunisia because other terrorist attacks there are eminent; comes amid Tunisian investigation finding that militants have targeted Western tourists in attacks in Sousse and Tunis. MORE

Jul. 9, 2015

Great Britain's Exchequer chancellor George Osborne makes surprise promise in budget meeting with British lawmakers that country will meet NATO military spending target for next 10 years; pledge is welcomed by American officials who have been pressuring Britain on issue for months. MORE

Jul. 8, 2015

Ten-year anniversary of suicide bomber attacks on London's transit system that killed 52 civilians draws warnings from British officials that terrorism threat has only increased, particularly with rise of Islamic State. MORE

Jul. 3, 2015

BBC announces that it will layoff 1,000 workers due to decline in number of households owning televisions as viewers increasingly choose to watch programming online. MORE

Jul. 3, 2015

British Prime Min David Cameron signals that Britain may join United States bombing of Islamic State in Syria. MORE

Jul. 2, 2015

Memo From London; British government remains indecisive over plan to add third runway at London's Heathrow Airport despite recent report by independent Airports Commission showing plan would bring enormous economic and social benefits; analysts worry debate between expansion and two other options may further divide Parliament still working out British membership plan with European Union. MORE

Jul. 2, 2015

Strike by ferry employees in Europe is causing massive traffic jams that are giving migrants a chance to board trucks halted on roadways on French side of English Channel in efforts to smuggle themselves into Britain. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

British Prime Min David Cameron vows 'full spectrum' response to terrorist attack that left 39 tourists, at least 18 of them British, dead at beach resort in Sousse, Tunisia; does not specify security measures to be taken at home or abroad but sends hundreds of police officers and forensic experts to help Tunisian authorities. MORE

Jun. 30, 2015

Lancashire County Council in Northwest England rejects request by Cuadrilla Resources to drill wells and test them with hydraulic fracturing, dealing significant blow to future of natural gas production from shale rock in country; decision represents setback for government of Prime Min David Cameron and its plans to create shale industry in country. MORE

Jun. 25, 2015

British intelligence documents provided by former National Security Agency contractor Edward J Snowden to The Guardian news media describe American drone strikes that killed Khadim Usamah, along with other such airstrikes and counter-terrorism efforts; documents raise possibility British intelligence agency Government Communications Headquarters aided American targeted strikes. MORE

Jun. 24, 2015

European Union is trying to end threat of Great Britain's departure from bloc; British Prime Min David Cameron wants pledge 'ever closer union' stricken from treaties. MORE

Jun. 24, 2015

Rwandan intelligence service head Karenzi Karake is being held in London after his arrest there on a European warrant caused diplomatic and political complaints; he is wanted in Spain on war crimes charges involving genocide. MORE

Jun. 24, 2015

Two British teenagers are charged with stealing artifacts from former Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps that were at state museum. MORE

Jun. 24, 2015

British regulators introduce new framework under which bank executives and managers could have their bonuses clawed back for up to 10 years for prior financial misconduct; rules will force bankers to defer variable pay for longer period; moves are part of push to hold banking executives more strictly accountable for precipitating future financial upheavals. MORE

Jun. 20, 2015

Remarkable editorial published by French newspaper Le Monde on 200-year anniversary of Waterloo urges Great Britain to not exit European Union, signalling how troubling such an exit would be for other member countries. MORE

Jun. 19, 2015

Salisbury Journal; Crowds of people gather at England's Salisbury Cathedral to celebrate 800th anniversary of Magna Carta. MORE

Jun. 19, 2015

Renovation of London's Palace of Westminster could take up to six years to finish, and at cost of about $6.2 billion; palace's last major restoration was in 1950. MORE

Jun. 18, 2015

Family members of Talha Asmal, 17-year-old from West Yorkshire, Britain, identify him in photo posted on social media by Islamic State militants claiming his participation in group's suicide bombing at Iraqi security facility, which killed at least 10 people; parents blame son's radicalization on Internet and social media. MORE

Jun. 16, 2015

Great Britain celebrates 800th anniversary of signing of Magna Carta, document connected to origins of democracy, with official commemoration in Runnymede, among other events. MORE

Jun. 14, 2015

In Transit blog; London-based travel company NoteWorthy offers half-day tour of London's East End graffiti scene, led by local graffiti artist. MORE

Jun. 12, 2015

Independent report by lawyer David Anderson calls for changes to Britain's surveillance laws, arguing that they are undemocratic and opaque. MORE

Jun. 12, 2015

Paul Krugman Op-Ed column disputes claims in British news media in run-up to Conservative Party's election triumph that excessive government spending on less fortunate was to blame for country's financial crisis; criticizes George Osborne, chancellor of Exchequer, who has said he plans to make austerity policies permanent; suggests that this is an example of how bad ideas can inexplicably have remarkable staying power, despite their detrimental effects. MORE

Jun. 11, 2015

DealBook Online; British government says it has started selling its remaining 30 percent stake in Royal Mail. MORE

Jun. 11, 2015

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne says government will start selling down 80 percent stake it has in Royal Bank of Scotland. MORE

Jun. 10, 2015

Chinese authorities release Peter Humphrey, British investigator who was detained while working for GlaxoSmithKline in 2013, and release him to hospital due to poor health; is expected to receive emergency passport and return to Britain after testing; Humphrey had been detained amid Chinese investigation into fraud accusations at Glaxo. MORE

Jun. 9, 2015

London Journal; London residents are divided on planned relocation of United States Embassy from historic Grosvenor Square to former railyard on South Bank of Thames; decision to move is based on security limitations of current building, which was designed by Eero Saarinen in 1955. MORE

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The seminal document was written on June 15, 1215. Since then, its principles have been enshrined in laws and constitutions around the world. How did it come about 800 years ago, and what is its modern legacy? Test your medieval legal knowledge.